Exploring things to do in Memphis Tennessee is a blast for a lot of reasons — Elvis, music, Elvis, Ducks, Elvis, Civil Rights, Elvis. Sitting on the banks of the Mississippi River, its rich musical history goes way beyond Elvis and is celebrated all over town. Nashville may own Country Music, but Memphis is the Blues, and from the Blues came Rock ‘n Roll and then there was Elvis. And Otis Redding and Al Green.
”Rhythm is something you either have or don’t have, but when you have it, you have it all over,” said Elvis Presley. He could have been talking about Memphis, which is certainly full to the brim of R’n’B history. Read on to explore Memphis’ rich traditions and have fun with your kids.
Musical Things to Do in Memphis: Blues & Beale Street
Long before Elvis, there was W.C. Handy, an African-American composer and musician who in the early 1900s moved to the town for the music, helped grow and change the music, and, even today, is considered the “Father of the Blues.” There are tons of things to do in Memphis with music at its core.
The world-famous Beale Street was the epicenter of that musical development. Still today, it hosts a number of bars and clubs where you can hear the music. Walking beyond the club area, you can visit the W.C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum to learn more about him. The museum is located in Handy’s old two-story wooden house, where you can take a quick tour and check out the Handy memorabilia and artifacts. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Memphis Has Soul Roots, Too
Then head on down to the recently reopened Stax Museum for even more things to do in Memphis, open daily except Monday. This joint celebrates the soul music vein of Memphis with more than 2,000 exhibits, videos, stage costumes, photographs, and instruments. Its title refers to the long-gone Stax recording studio, where lots of music was laid down, including records by Otis Redding, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Booker T and the MGs. If you can’t make it to Memphis, there’s a terrific virtual tour as well.
True music aficionados would also make a pilgrimage to the Sun Studio, where legend has it, Elvis’ first record was made, along with Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and later, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash. Touch the microphone used by Elvis and never wash that hand.
The studio tours are free for kids 5-11, but kids under 5 are not permitted on the tours. Even a brief visit will inspire a wealth of music-centered things to do in Memphis that your family will never forget.
Graceland – Home to Elvis. Gem of Memphis
And then, it’s time for Graceland. Your children may not know what this is, but the world does. Graceland is the second most visited home in the U.S., after the White House.
For those who don’t know, Graceland was the former home of Elvis Presley, the one, the only, the legendary King of Rock and Roll. In life and death, Elvis has sold over a billion records, more than any other recording artist. A visit to Graceland is the crowning jewel of things to do in Memphis.
Tour Tip: Be aware that the place really gets crowded during the weeks around January 8, his birthday, and August 16, date of his death in 1977.
Special Tours & Memphis Activities at Graceland
On most days, you’ll join the crowds to see the entire place. You’ll need the better part of a half-day to see what’s here, but any of the tours are worthwhile.
The Memphis & Elvis Tour to see the mansion is the essential, but don’t stop there. Buy the Ultimate VIP Tour and see Graceland with a guide in groups less than 10, plus self-guided tours (with first in line pass) of Elvis’ custom jets, the Presley Motors Automobile Museum, career museum and discovery exhibits. Most items are now part of the Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex. There are currently five scheduled tours at various price points plus two specially themed ones for Christmas.
Of course, the gift shop welcomes all comers always.
If you have time to spare, join the daytrip to Tupelo, Mississippi and see where Elvis was born. The motorcoach tour departs Memphis every Friday and calls on Tupelo’s top attractions. Ages 5+ only.
A True Graceland Close Up For Dedicated Fans With Cash to Spare
In September 2024, Graceland launches an exclusive “Presley for a Day” tour ($6,000) that might be the ultimate pilgrimage. Four guests will depart on a tour of off-limits parts of the estate such as the Presley Research Archives and stables twice per day. Expert guides lead the custom 7-hour golf cart tour to some of the Presley family’s most beloved places on the Graceland grounds. Enjoy unusual photo ops and learn details about The King’s life you never knew.
A gourmet meal tailored to guest preferences is served in Moriah’s House, a restored barn belonging to Lisa Marie’s favorite pony. Dinner is followed by a customized after-hours tour of the Presley mansion. Part of the fee goes to support the Presley Charitable Foundation’s work in Memphis and the site’s upkeep. 2027 is the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ death and many other special things to do are in the works.
Things to Do from Civil Rights to River Sights In Memphis
While you’re in the downtown area, don’t miss a more somber, but profoundly important site, the National Civil Rights Museum. The remodeled Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was gunned down in 1968, houses this important collection. Not all would call it fun, but it is an essential stop. Educational exhibitions focus on all the key moments of the Civil Rights Movement.
If you want to break up the somber mood, treat the kids to the famous Duck Walk at the Peabody Hotel. A flock of Mallard ducks spend their day in a fountain in the lobby of the historic hotel. Great fanfare surrounds their daily entry, when they waddle across the lobby to the fountain then waddle back to the elevator to return to their rooftop home. It’s been a tradition since the ‘30s. The ducks draw big crowds, so come early to get a good seat.
Every kid who when asked what they want to be when they grow up has answered, “Firefighter,” is sure to love the Fire Museum of Memphis, located in Fire Engine House No. 1. Don’t miss the life-size talking horse that discusses the days of horse-drawn fire trucks. Plus, there’s a fire extinguisher simulator, an escape maze, and even a fire room where you can feel the heat.
Kids will also enjoy the Children’s Museum of Memphis, celebrating more than three decades in the child-enrichment business. In addition to great temporary exhibits, there also has a 50-foot model of the Mississippi River kids can play in and a vertical “skyscraper” maze. If you’re visiting in summer, the Splash Park is a must.
Dig Deeper in Memphis or Make a Day Trip to Mississippi for Natural History
One of Memphis’ most enduring landmarks houses a museum of science and history and four other learning venues. Once known as the Pink Palace Museum because it was housed in mansion faced with pink Georgia marble, the Museum of Science and History has exhibits on the cultural and natural history of the mid-South, with dioramas, fossils and skeletons. Check their schedule for movies, fun events, and historic home tours among other activities.
Since you’re right on the Mississippi Delta, why not explore the region? Take advantage of crossing state lines to the nearby Tunica Riverpark and Museum. This hotbed of gaming venues is just south of Memphis over the Mississippi border. Head to the riverfront to check out the informative Mississippi River Museum. Inspect the four fresh-water aquariums to take a peek at what lives beneath the river’s surface.
Hop on the Tunica Queen riverboat here for a sightseeing tour to remote sandbars and coves, where you should be on the lookout to spot some of the birds and other wildlife that live by the river. The park also has an easy two-mile eco-trail that winds through a wetland forest by the riverbank.
Memphis Trip Planning Details
Memphis, located in the southwest corner of Tennessee, is easy enough to get to. The Memphis International Airport welcomes over 1,000 flights per day. Once you’re in the city, the Memphis Area Transit Authority runs cheap public trolleys with over 35 stations, running loops downtown and past the scenic riverfront area.
Are you booked into the Peabody Hotel — actually a fine luxury hotel that’s conveniently located and warmly welcomes families? If not, music fans should note that Elvis Presley received the $4,500 signing bonus for his first national RCA recording contract at this historic downtown Memphis hotel on November 21, 1955.
Another option that real fans book is Graceland’s on-site AAA resort hotel, The Guest House at Graceland. In addition to renting out 200 guest rooms for leisure and business guests, they boast a special “Stay Like a Presley” package. This includes personalized service, including breakfast room service any time of day, charcuterie and champagne upon arrival, turndown service with banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting (Elvis’ favorite?), plus a private midnight movie screening in the Guest House Theater. For other good hotel choices, please visit the booking site Priceline and check out their value offerings for your stay dates.
Memphis Travel promotes seasonal specials at several hotels as well. They also provide information on all the music, museums, and other attractions that this funky southern city has to offer.
What are your favorite things to do in Memphis? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
